Northern: Lousy weather takes backseat to great play

Mother Nature was able to wreak havoc with the schedule a couple of days last week and into this week, but the winter sports season continues to chug along and with the postseason just a few weeks away, every day takes on more importance.

Here’s a look back at the week that was and a glimpse at what’s on tap:

Boys’ basketball

Falmouth’s Lucas Dilworth tries to drive to the basket during Friday’s narrow home loss to Portland. Michael Hoffer / For The Forecaster

Falmouth’s boys’ basketball team, the reigning Class A South champion, fell to 8-3 and third in the Heal Points standings after Friday’s hard-fought 44-41 home loss to Portland. The Navigators, playing without senior standout Judd Armstrong, gave the Class AA North contending Bulldogs fits for 32 minutes and even clung to a lead with a minute to go before falling just short. Falmouth was paced by 17 points from Chris Simonds.

“A lot of people thought it wouldn’t be a game without Judd, but we had some other guys that stepped in and played well,” longtime Navigators coach Dave Halligan said. “This is the experience you get playing a team like this. We could play a lesser team and win without Judd, but not learn the lessons we learned tonight.

“Turnovers were the difference. You can’t win many games with 25 turnovers. We tried to do too much by ourselves. Once we started playing as a team, good teams happened.”

Falmouth hosted Brunswick Tuesday, goes to top-ranked Westbrook for a showdown Wednesday, visits Class AA South powerhouse Thornton Academy Friday, then plays at Mt. Ararat Tuesday of next week.

“We can’t defer to the pressure,” said Halligan. “We have to recognize the pressure and attack it. We have to move the ball with the pass and not the dribble.”

Elsewhere in Class A South, Greely was 5-6 and sixth in the standings following Friday’s 62-60 loss at Lake Region on a last-second hoop. Hayden MacArthur had 24 points and Seamus Raftice added 23. The Rangers host Poland Wednesday and Wells Thursday, go to Yarmouth Saturday (see our website for game story) and welcome Fryeburg Academy Tuesday of next week.

Freeport fell to 4-7 and eighth in Class A South after last week’s 55-51 overtime home loss to Cape Elizabeth. The Falcons gave up a game-tying 3-pointer at the end of regulation and ultimately fell just short despite 13 points apiece from JT Pound and Connor Slocum, 12 from Conner Smith and 10 from Cody Wall. Freeport hosted Yarmouth Tuesday (see our website for game story), has a rematch at Cape Elizabeth Thursday, welcomes Spruce Mountain for a first-ever regular season meeting Saturday, has a makeup game at York Monday, then visits Gray-New Gloucester Tuesday of next week.

Defending state champion Yarmouth improved to 6-4 and fifth in Class B South after last week’s 68-53 home win over Brunswick. Stevie Walsh had a team-high 22 points and Matt Gautreau added 18. The Clippers visited Freeport Tuesday, welcome Gray-New Gloucester Thursday, host Greely Saturday, then welcome Spruce Mountain Monday and Cape Elizabeth Tuesday of next week.

In Class C South, North Yarmouth Academy fell to 4-8 and 11th in the Heals following losses at Winthrop (54-42) and at home to Old Orchard Beach (52-46). Jack Byrne had 10 points against the Ramblers. In the loss to the Seagulls, Cal Nice scored 17 points and Moses Semuhoza added 15. The Panthers were at Sacopee Valley Tuesday, host Dirigo Saturday and go to Old Orchard Beach Tuesday of next week.

Girls’ basketball

North Yarmouth Academy’s Angel Huntsman plays defense during the Panthers’ home win over Winthrop last week. Michael Hoffer / For The Forecaster

On the girls’ side, NYA continues to dazzle. The Panthers improved to 12-0 and took over the top spot in the Class C South Heal Points standings after handling visiting Winthrop (79-31) and downing host Old Orchard Beach in a highly-anticipated showdown (55-37). Against the Ramblers, Graca Bila scored 18 points, Angel Huntsman added 17 points and 16 assists and Sarah English also had a double-double of 10 points and 11 rebounds.

“We made sure to come out hard,” said Bila. “That’s very important to us.”

“We were so excited today,” said the Bates College-bound Huntsman. “We love to hear when teams want to beat us and as an undefeated team, teams want to beat us, but every single time teams team come in with intensity, we turn them away.”

“We work on transition in practice and it pays off in games like this,” added NYA coach Tom Robinson. “This was our best effort. We had kids diving on the floor. They were all rooting for each other. They were hungry.”

In the win over the Seagulls, Bila led the way with 17 points, English added 16 and Huntsman finished 10 despite battling foul trouble. The Panthers hosted Sacopee Valley Tuesday, go to Dirigo Saturday and have a rematch with Old Orchard Beach next Tuesday at home.

“No team has been able to stop us yet,” said Huntsman. “This is the year that we want to go all the way. This is it for a lot of us. We have the intensity up, no matter what team we play. Every team we have to face with the same intensity. I think we have what it takes.”

In Class A South, Falmouth improved to 9-3 and fifth following wins last week over visiting Westbrook (54-39) and host Portland (54-50). Anna Turgeon had 20 points in the win over the Blue Blazes, then went off for a career-high 39 points against the Bulldogs. The Navigators had a showdown at top-ranked Brunswick Tuesday, welcome Thornton Academy Friday (see our website for game story) and host Mt. Ararat Tuesday of next week.

Greely improved to 7-4 with its third straight win, 62-53, over visiting Lake Region last Friday. Sophia Ippolito led the way with 14 points and Lauren Hester added 11. The Rangers (ranked sixth in Class A South) have a road stretch upcoming, as they go to Poland for a makeup game Wednesday, visit red-hot Wells Thursday, Yarmouth Saturday (see our website for game story) and Fryeburg Academy Tuesday of next week.

Freeport fell to 4-7 and eighth in Class A South after last week’s 40-28 loss at Cape Elizabeth. Maddie Cormier led the Falcons with 11 points. Freeport was at Yarmouth Tuesday, hosts Cape Elizabeth Thursday, goes to Spruce Mountain Saturday and welcomes York Monday and Gray-New Gloucester Tuesday of next week.

In Class B South, Yarmouth fell to 4-6 and seventh after last week’s 56-33 loss at Brunswick. Cate King and Delia MacDonald each had a team-high nine points. The Clippers hosted Freeport Tuesday, visit Gray-New Gloucester Thursday, welcome Greely Saturday and go to Cape Elizabeth Tuesday of next week.

Boys’ hockey

The South Portland/Freeport/Waynflete boys’ hockey team celebrates a goal during last week’s home loss to Scarborough. Derek Davis / Portland Press Herald

Falmouth’s boys’ hockey team is surging, beating visiting Thornton Academy, 6-3, last Thursday for its sixth consecutive victory, improving to 6-2 and first in the Class A state Heal Points standings in the process. After going to Fryeburg Academy Tuesday, the Navigators visit Bangor Saturday.

South Portland/Freeport/Waynflete fell to 4-6 and sixth in Class A after a 4-3 overtime home loss to reigning Class A state champion Scarborough last Thursday. Roan Hopkins scored twice and Tobey Lappin also put the puck in the net, but the Red Storm tied the game in the third period, then won it in OT.

“It was a tough one,” South Portland/Freeport/Waynflete coach Joe Robinson lamented. “Our forecheck was great and we had them hemmed in most of the game, but we didn’t get enough quality shots. When you play good teams, it’s every shift and we had some mistakes that cost us. It’s frustrating. I can’t fault the guys. It’s not that they didn’t try or didn’t work, it just didn’t go our way tonight.”

South Portland/Freeport/Waynflete goes to Lewiston Wednesday, then welcomes Thornton Academy Saturday.

“We’re right in the thick of it,” said Robinson. “We’ve got to get some wins for sure. We have to get the puck in the net more. We’re competitive. We’ll be alright. Our work ethic and our attitudes are good.”

Cheverus/Yarmouth beat host Gorham, 4-2, Saturday for its fifth straight victory as it improved to 5-2-1 on the season. After hosting Greely Thursday (see our website for game story), Cheverus/Yarmouth (second in the Class B South Heals) goes to York Saturday.

Greely was 2-7 and eighth in Class B South after a 9-2 loss at Cape Elizabeth and a 2-1 home win over Kennebunk last week. Sean Allen scored the go-ahead goal in the victory and Teddy Conway also had a goal. The Rangers are at Cheverus/Yarmouth Thursday, welcome Leavitt Saturday and play host to York Tuesday of next week.

Girls’ hockey

NYA’s girls’ hockey team won the Travis Roy Maine Prep Cup title last weekend. Contributed photo.

On the girls’ side, Yarmouth/Freeport was 11-1-1 and first in the North Region after Saturday’s 6-3 win at Brunswick. Rosie Panenka led the way with a pair of goals. Yarmouth/Freeport is home versus Portland/Deering Wednesday, welcomes Cheverus as it hopes to avenge its lone loss Saturday (see our website for game story) and plays host to Mt. Ararat Monday.

Greely fell to 0-15 and ninth in the North Region following Saturday’s 7-1 home loss to Lewiston. The Rangers welcome Winslow Saturday.

Falmouth was 3-8-1 and fifth in the South Region after Saturday’s 6-0 loss at Cape Elizabeth/South Portland/Waynflete. The Navigators were at Mt. Ararat Tuesday, host Gorham Wednesday, welcome Portland/Deering Friday and visit Cheverus Monday.

NYA won the Travis Roy Maine Prep Cup title last weekend with a 5-0 victory over Berwick Academy.

Indoor track

On the track last weekend, Falmouth’s boys were third and the girls fourth in a four-team SMAA meet versus Scarborough, Gorham and Windham.

Swimming

In recent swimming action, Falmouth took on Biddeford and Thornton Academy. The Navigators boys had 31 points and were second to the Golden Trojans (47) while beating the Tigers (13). Falmouth’s girls had 36 points which left them second to Thornton Academy (51) and ahead of Biddeford (7).

Freeport’s boys defeated Waynflete, 46-36, while the girls lost to the Flyers, 76-44.

Greely’s girls defeated Scarborough, 68-26, while the boys lost to the reigning Class A champion Red Storm, 63-31.

Yarmouth swept Kennebunk, with the boys prevailing, 76-46, and the girls winning, 96-58.

Skiing

Yarmouth’s Brooke Boone and Tyler Moore each finished first at a WMC Alpine giant slalom meet last week. Boone won with a two-run combined time of 1 minute, 14.34 seconds and Moore had a time of 1:11.44.

Falmouth’s boys were first in an eight-team SMAA GS meet. Ian Christie was the individual champion (1:09.19). The Navigators girls placed second, as Bridget Jacobsen was second individually in 1:10.66.